YORK, Pa. — While it might not be what the owner or operator of a drycleaning company expected to be doing in their position, knowing how to get their employees help when they are facing difficult times can sometimes make all the difference for their team.

And, while most drycleaning companies might not have a human resources (HR) department, leaders can still point their employees in the right direction for assistance.

This was the topic of “Explore & Promote Available Community Resources for Your Employees,” a Drycleaning & Laundry Institute (DLI) webinar. Dr. Heidi Kimmel, a York County, Pennsylvania, social worker with more than 25 years of experience in the field, was host.

In Part 1 of this series, we examined how drycleaning business owners can help employees access community resources for transportation and food assistance. Today, we’ll conclude by exploring additional resources for housing, healthcare, utilities assistance and mental health support.

Housing insecurity affects many workers, and Kimmel outlines several programs that might help employees:

Section 8 — ”Section 8 housing is a national housing assistance program,” Kimmel says. “In every county, they have a certain amount of Section 8 housing.” 

For those who qualify, rent is adjusted based on income. “They look at that poverty income and they have a sliding scale. So, this person only makes $800 a month in disability. They might charge them 33% of $800, and then the rest they can keep and use for food, their health insurance or their medications.”

The drawback to this system, she says, is that these subsidized housing units are available through a waiting list system, which in many areas can be quite long.

“The wait time, I think, is typically about two years right now,” says Kimmel, explaining that the housing that becomes available might not be exactly where the person wants to live. “You can put your name on different lists and whichever building has an apartment first would ask if you wanted to take it or not. If you don’t take it, you go back to the bottom of the list and then you wait another two years.”

Assistance for the Unhoused — For employees facing homelessness, Kimmel highlighted several resources:

• Local shelters
• 311 as a national contact point: “Anybody in America can call (this number) and they can find shelters in their area,” she says.
• Some shelters allow people living in their cars to be able to park in their lots overnight.

Employers should be aware that because there are so many people who are unhoused right now, many shelters have started a waiting list. 

“This means if your employee gets a 30-day eviction notice, they might want to contact a shelter now to see if they have a waiting list in their area,” she says.

One of the biggest concerns for low-income workers right now is finding healthcare resources for themselves and their families. Kimmel suggests the following:

Medical Insurance Options — Kimmel notes that Medicaid eligibility varies by state, but employees may qualify based on income, household size, age or disability status.

“Every single state does Medicaid differently,” she says. “They get federal funds, and the state also has funds. They are the ones who determine how medical assistance happens in their state.”

For those not eligible for Medicaid but still needing insurance, Kimmel points to the health insurance marketplace. 

Marketplaces vary by state, Kimmel says, using Pennsylvania’s health insurance marketplace — Pennie — which is designed to help people get insurance and lower the cost of coverage and care, as an example.

Prescription Drug Assistance — Many states offer prescription drug assistance programs for low-income residents:

“PACE is the prescription drug state health insurance for older people that will help supplement and cover prescription drugs,” Kimmel says, referring to Pennsylvania’s program as an example. “We have PACE, which goes by the poverty line, and we have PACENET, when your household income might be higher, but you can still use a little help.”

She also recommended the GoodRx app, which is available nationwide: “I’ve had it on my phone for about 12 years. You just put in all your medications and GoodRx tells you where your prescription can be found in your area and how much it costs at each pharmacy.”

There are also options for those needing assistance with utility bills, Kimmel says.

LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) — “This is a national program and they help out a lot of my clients who cannot afford to pay for gas, heat, electricity or other utilities,” she says. 

She noted there are two types of LIHEAP assistance: “With regular non-crisis assistance, you may receive only one LIHEAP benefit each season. With crisis assistance, once a year, you can work with your utility company, your gas company or your electric company to see if you are eligible for a crisis payment.”

Weatherization Assistance — “Weatherization is a federal program designed to help low-income households by making their homes more energy-efficient,” Kimmel says, noting that programs can help with “insulating attics, repairing heating systems and things of that nature.”

Mental health support is increasingly important, with Kimmel adding it’s the second most common need she encounters after transportation.

“The thing that I hear is, ‘I don’t know where to find a psychiatrist. There are no psychiatrists to take my insurance, and I have no transportation to get to one,’” she says.

Kimmel suggests several resources:

• Psychology Today’s provider directory
• WebMD’s provider search
• Local crisis hotlines
• The national 988 suicide prevention line

“Every community has a hotline for a mental health crisis,” she says. “If you feel like your employees are going to be hurting themselves or somebody else, you can give them the information to call. You can also call (the hotline) yourself and say, ‘Hey, my employee feels like she’s going to be hurting herself. She’s having suicidal ideation. She has a plan to complete suicide.’ I hope you never have to … but you are able to do that.”

Kimmel encourages employers to become aware of county-level agencies that can provide additional assistance.

“In their county,” she says, “everybody should have an aging agency, mental and behavioral health agency, intellectual and developmental disability agency, domestic violence agency, drug and alcohol agencies, and legal assistance organizations. They are good resources to use to find out how to get services to your community.”

As business conditions and funding for social services can change, Kimmel acknowledged some uncertainty about the future of these programs. However, the principles of connecting employees with available resources remain important for employers who want to support their workforce through challenging times.

And her most important advice remains simple: “211, again. That’s the only thing you really need to take away from here. You take away nothing else, call 2-1-1.”

For Part 1 of this series, click HERE.